PRIME NEWS POST
The INDONESIAN (Jakarta) – Ahead of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah and in the spirit of welcoming Jakarta’s fifth century, the Betawi Customary Council of the Betawi Consultative Body (Dewan Adat Badan Musyawarah Betawi/DABB) held a fellowship and cultural preservation consolidation event with the Betawi Customary Troops (Laskar Adat Betawi/LAB) at LAB’s Command Headquarters (MAKO), located at the PUPR Building, on Monday (February 16, 2026).
This activity served as a strategic discussion platform, a gathering for prayers to welcome Ramadan (rowahan), and a moment to reaffirm joint commitment to safeguarding and overseeing the implementation of Regional Regulation No. 4 of 2015 on Betawi Cultural Preservation, amid Jakarta’s dynamics as a global city.
Carrying the theme “Strengthening LAB’s Steps Together with DABB in Safeguarding and Overseeing Regional Regulation No. 4/2015 on Betawi Cultural Preservation in the Global City Towards Jakarta’s 5th Century”, the event was attended by customary leaders, heads of Betawi mass organizations, and national speakers – including Retired Navy Rear Admiral (Laksdya TNI Purn) Dadang Irianto, Advisor to the DABB Customary Council.
The event proceeded solemnly with recitations of Islamic devotional songs (sholawat) and performances of traditional Betawi arts such as lenong (traditional theater), original gambang kromong (instrumental ensemble), and topeng blantek (mask dance) – affirming that cultural preservation is not merely rhetoric, but a tangible presence in public spaces.
Eki Pitung, General Chair of the DABB Customary Council, emphasized in his speech that as Jakarta approaches its 5th century, Regional Regulation No. 4/2015 is not just an administrative rule, but a historical mandate and shield of honor for the Betawi community.
“This regulation must be alive in policies, public spaces, education, and even in the economic and cultural pulse of society. We do not want Regional Regulation No. 4/2015 to be just a symbol on paper. It must be a collective movement. Jakarta may become a global city, but the soul of Betawi must remain the host in its own homeland,” he stressed.
During the event, LAB’s Rapid Response Team (Tim Reaksi Cepat/TRIC) was inaugurated and LAB’s Core Team was strengthened – as concrete steps to ensure the regulation is truly overseen, monitored, and implemented sustainably.
Beyond discussing regulations, Eki Pitung also conveyed a profound message to young Betawi generations, urging that custom should not be limited to ceremonial symbols.
“Custom is not just sadariah attire or kebaya encim (traditional Betawi blouse), nor is it only the pangsi (traditional male garment) worn at events. Custom encompasses good manners, courage to uphold truth, respect for elders, nurturing brotherhood, and steadfastly holding religious values. If these live within Betawi youth, the culture will never disappear,” he said.
He hopes that young Betawi people can become guardians of their ancestors’ heritage – adaptable to the times, modern yet rooted in custom, and never disconnected from their traditional origins.
The event was also enlivened by displays of distinctive Betawi clothing such as kebaya encim, sadariah, and pangsi, worn by participants as a symbol of pride in their cultural identity.
As information, Regional Regulation No. 4 of 2015 on Betawi Cultural Preservation governs the protection, development, utilization, and fostering of Betawi culture as Jakarta’s native identity.
This regulation serves as a legal umbrella for preserving customs, arts, language, architecture, and local wisdom values of the Betawi people – ensuring they remain sustainable and competitive amid the currents of modernization and globalization in the capital city.
With the successful holding of this activity, the DABB Customary Council reaffirms its commitment to continue collaborating to safeguard the dignity of Betawi culture as the moral foundation and identity of Jakarta as it approaches its 5th century.
